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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25022125">Alexander and Hephaestion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bexpls/pseuds/bexpls'>bexpls</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Erômenos [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Endeavour (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Morse, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pre-Canon, gay anthony donn, implied eating disorders, more people who i will add as they come, university-era morse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:28:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,283</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25022125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bexpls/pseuds/bexpls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Morse and Anthony Donn had one night of passion, and that's all that Anthony ever thinks it will be. But Morse seems to want something more than that. And if he's honest, Anthony wants more, too. The only problem is: as far as he knows, Morse isn't gay.</p>
<p>You should read part one of this series if you wanna know what the heck is going on, btw.</p>
<p>(sorry about the shitty title, i had no idea what to call this and i figured i'd stick with the greek theme)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anthony Donn/Endeavour Morse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Erômenos [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811830</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Alexander and Hephaestion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Quick thing: so, I hadn’t watched Deceived by Flight for ages before I wrote Erômenos, so I’d forgotten that Morse and Anthony had a house together (presumably with other people too?) in uni, and just wrote them as still living in halls even though they’re in like third year, so… let’s pretend Lonsdale College provides accommodation for all three years lmao.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Morse has gone by the time Anthony Donn wakes up, bleary-eyed and blinking from the sun streaming in from the gap in his curtains. Anthony isn’t surprised. He hardly expected to wake up in Morse’s arms. Still, his friend’s absence means he has to start worrying about what Morse is going to say the next time they see each other.</p>
<p><em>Morse isn’t a homosexual</em>. That’s something Anthony is sure of. He <em>hoped </em>for the contrary, naturally, when they first met. He flirted with Morse at a party a few weeks into their first Michaelmas term - discreetly, of course - but at some point in the evening, he passed into a different room to find Morse pressed against the wall, being kissed ferociously by a second-year from Lady Matilda’s. Anthony briefly allowed himself the hope that Morse was <em>bi</em>sexual, but after a few months he gave up on that. Morse only ever pursued women, whether in public or in private. And in the close to three years they’ve lived on the same landing, Anthony is sure that Morse hasn’t so much as cuddled with another man.</p>
<p>Until last night.</p>
<p>Anthony stares down at his sheets with some annoyance. His scout is discreet, but still, it’s a little humiliating. He feels sticky everywhere, and needs a good bath. Also, he can’t remember what day it is. He and Morse haven’t been going to lectures (instead, Morse drank, and Anthony watched him to make sure he didn’t accidentally or purposely kill himself), so the days have all melded into one. It could be Monday. In which case, he has a tutorial at midday. He sighs. Jurisprudence is <em>not </em>what is occupying his mind at the moment.</p>
<p>He gets out of bed, naked, and wraps a relatively clean blanket around himself as an afterthought. Morse’s clothes, which were in a heap on the floor by the armchair, have disappeared. His own are scattered around, however, and he takes a moment to gather them up into a small, less suspicious-looking pile.</p>
<p>A quick glance at his desk calendar tells him that it is in fact Tuesday, not Monday. Which means that he has a lecture at nine o’clock. And that, he discovers when he looks at the clock on his mantelpiece, is in twenty minutes. Of course, he could just not go, but he’s already had enough warnings about attendance. Besides, it won’t be the first lecture he’s gone to after spending the night with someone. At least he isn’t hungover this time.</p><hr/>
<p>Anthony doesn’t see Morse all day. When he returns from his lecture he lingers outside Morse’s door, trying to work up the courage to knock.</p>
<p>He can’t manage it.</p>
<p>Instead, he spends the rest of the morning writing an essay, all the while dreading going down for lunch. What will he say to Morse? More to the point, what will Morse say to <em>him</em>?</p>
<p>In the end, in spite of Anthony’s fretting, Morse doesn’t come down for lunch at all. Anthony breathes a small sigh of relief when the clock strikes one and Morse’s seat is still empty. It isn’t uncommon for Morse to miss meals, and Anthony doesn’t think anything of it.</p>
<p>He’s a little more concerned when Morse misses dinner, too. It occurs to him that he could well still be in his post-Susan depression. It isn’t impossible, but up until now he’d assumed the events of last night marked the end of it. He isn’t quite sure why.</p>
<p>Still, it makes sense. Morse hasn’t gone down for meals in four days now, since Susan broke up with him. Anthony had to steal food for him, and then all but force it down his throat. He can handle the drinking and the depression, but he isn’t going to miss Morse trying to starve himself to death.</p>
<p>On the way back up to his room, Anthony allows himself one look at Morse’s door before quietly going back into his own room.</p>
<p>And then less than ten minutes later, there’s a soft knock at his door.</p><hr/>
<p>Morse looks like he hasn’t slept a wink. He’s a skinny shadow in Anthony’s doorway; hair all messed up, his face the colour of death, purple bags like bruises under his eyes. He’s wearing a baggy read sweater and similarly too-large black trousers. All of Morse’s clothes are either too small or too big for him. Anthony has bought him an article of correctly-sized clothing for every Christmas and birthday since they met.</p>
<p>Also, he looks like he hasn’t eaten since a few bites of Anthony’s pub dinner yesterday evening, which he vomited along with several pints of beer soon afterwards. Anthony can always tell when Morse hasn’t eaten all day, even when he lies about it. It’s a bit of a gift.</p>
<p>He doesn’t say anything. Neither does Anthony. They stare at each other until Anthony begins to find the silence unbearable.</p>
<p>“Evening.”</p>
<p>Morse nods.</p>
<p>“Would you like to come in?” says Anthony after a further few horrible seconds.</p>
<p>Morse nods again, and Anthony moves back to let him pass. Apparently instinctively, Morse moves towards the armchair in which Anthony sat in the previous evening. Before Anthony can say anything, Morse seems to realise his mistake and turns ninety degrees towards the bed. He doesn’t seem to like that option much, either. He finally settles on the windowsill. Anthony closes the door gently and goes to sit on the other armchair.</p>
<p>Still Morse says nothing. He won’t meet Anthony’s eyes, instead staring at his left shoulder. Or just into the distance, it’s hard to tell. But, to be fair, Anthony can’t think of anything to say, either.</p>
<p>Nearly fifteen minutes go by like this. Anthony is considering going to his desk and finishing his essay. He doesn’t, though. The silence is strange, but it’s oddly intimate, and with every passing second Anthony finds his anxiety diminishing instead of growing. Morse, apparently, has that effect on him.</p>
<p>The silence is only broken when Morse’s stomach audibly rumbles, to a degree that makes Anthony wince.</p>
<p>“Christ, Morse, you ever heard of eating?”</p>
<p>Morse looks confused. “I wasn’t hungry.”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m not going to sit here and watch you waste away,” replies Anthony firmly. “Come and have dinner with me. My treat.” He isn’t saying this out of generosity; Morse very rarely buys anything to eat outside of college, so he knows that if he doesn’t offer to pay, Morse will refuse on instinct.</p>
<p>Morse looks surprised. “Haven’t you already eaten?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you know what these college portions are like,” says Anthony, shrugging. In fact, college portions are usually nearly enough for two, something which Morse obviously knows, but he doesn’t call Anthony out on the ridiculous mistruth. Instead, he nods, with only a small reluctance, and gets up from the windowsill.</p>
<p>They pause at Morse’s room for him to grab his coat, then head out of college. It’s only then that Anthony realises how short of money he is; he certainly doesn’t have enough for them to go anywhere fancy. They end up walking around for a while until Anthony spots a fish and chip shop on the corner.</p>
<p>Inside, Anthony buys one portion of chips and tells Morse they’re going to share them. He isn’t at all hungry himself, but he knows that if he takes a chip or two Morse will follow suit. They walk to the edge of Christ Church Meadow and settle themselves on a bench.</p>
<p>Morse has still barely said a word, though at least he’s eating the chips. Anthony finds himself wondering exactly why Morse came to his room in the first place. If he wanted to avoid Anthony, Anthony wouldn’t be angry - despite the fact that it was <em>Morse </em>made the move on <em>him</em>, and it actually wouldn’t be unreasonable for Anthony to be the one avoiding Morse. Morse used him for sex, after all. Maybe he wants to tell Anthony that it was just a one-off, and he hasn’t plucked up the courage to actually say so yet. In which case, would it be better for Anthony to say something first?</p>
<p>When the silence continues, and Morse shows no sign of attempting to break it, Anthony says, “Look, Morse.”</p>
<p>Morse looks up at him.”</p>
<p>“Erm,” says Anthony, faltering suddenly. “I - I don’t want there to be any hard feelings between us.”</p>
<p>“Neither do I,” says Morse after a moment.</p>
<p>“What happened last night was - well, it was a produce of your depression. An imbalance of the four humours or whatever that Greek nonsense is. I know you didn’t mean anything by it. And I know you weren’t intending to hurt me. So what I’m saying is… I don’t mind if you want to pretend nothing ever happened.”</p>
<p>Morse blinks rapidly. “I see.” He pauses. “Is that what you want?”</p>
<p>Anthony is somewhat taken aback by the question. “It doesn’t matter what I want, does it? You’re not…” He’s beginning to get uncomfortable. He assumed Morse would just nod and agree with him, but he seems determined to play Devil’s Advocate - if that’s even what he’s doing. “You’re not interested in me in that way.”</p>
<p>“And you’re interested in me in that way?” says Morse, phrasing it in such a way that it’s impossible to ascertain if it’s a question or a statement.</p>
<p>“Well, you know,” says Anthony. “You’re very, erm, intelligent, and, well, handsome, and…” He’s aware he’s getting very flustered, like a woman in the presence of a film star or something. “Obviously you know <em>I’m</em>… inclined that way.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” says Morse. Almost conversationally, he says, “What happened to that Jackson fellow?”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>him</em>,” says Anthony. Morse is talking about Jackson Hall, and American student who Anthony was briefly involved with. “He went back to Massachusetts a few weeks back. I thought I told you that.”</p>
<p>“You probably did,” says Morse, “I was probably just too drunk to notice.”</p>
<p>Anthony wonders if Morse would have stopped himself from coming into Anthony’s room last night if he and Jackson Hall were still seeing each other.</p>
<p>Oh, hell, he might as well just come out and say it. “Yes, all right, I <em>was </em>interested in you. When we first met. But you obviously weren’t interested in men, and I wasn’t going to force you into anything. I admit I made some subtle motions, but you weren’t reciprocating, and anyway I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. I hadn’t thought about you in that way in years.” He pauses. “Until last night, obviously.”</p>
<p>Morse shifts uncomfortably but doesn’t say anything.</p>
<p>“You do realise that if you were only after a one-night thing, you could have had any number of women,” says Anthony. Morse clearly isn’t trying to put the subject to bed, so he might as well take advantage of that. “Or men, if that’s what you, erm, felt like.”</p>
<p>Morse looks at the floor. “Maybe I wanted it to be you.”</p>
<p>Ah.</p>
<p>“Why?” says Anthony eventually. “I mean, I’m flattered, but why?”</p>
<p>“God,” says Morse, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, all right. One, I knew you’d know what you were doing. Two, I assumed you were good at it.”</p>
<p>Hopefully I didn’t disappoint, thinks Anthony.</p>
<p>“Three, I thought you would want to. Four, I knew you wouldn’t laugh at me and tell half the college. Five -“</p>
<p>“Hang on a second,” interrupts Anthony, “can we go back to ‘I thought you would want to’ for a moment, please?”</p>
<p>Morse shrugs. “It’s true. And I was right.”</p>
<p>“What, because you think I’m some kind of man whore?”</p>
<p>“No, because I <em>did </em>see the way you looked at me when we first met. And at the time, yeah, I wasn’t interested.”</p>
<p>“Does that mean you’re interested now?” says Anthony after a moment’s silence.</p>
<p>Morse looks up at him through his eyelashes. “Can I answer that after we have sex again?”</p>
<p>God, yes, Anthony wants to say, but he stops himself. “Morse.”</p>
<p>“Anthony,” replies Morse.</p>
<p>Anthony rolls his eyes. “Morse, if I’m - well, for want of a better phrase: if I’m going to become the new Susan, there’s a little more to it than purely the physical. This isn’t meant as an insult, but are you sure you would be able to handle that?”</p>
<p>“I don’t see what the big deal is.”</p>
<p>“So, so much. It won’t be anything like what you’re used to with relationships. You can’t put your arm around me at breakfast. You can’t kiss me on the bridge over the river. You wouldn’t be able to tell <em>anyone</em>.”</p>
<p>“But people would know,” says Morse. “People always know about you and your… boyfriends.”</p>
<p>“There’s a difference between them figuring it out for themselves and me spreading it around everywhere,” Anthony tells him. “A big difference. People assume things. But they don’t say anything, because why would they?”</p>
<p>Morse is silent.</p>
<p>“It would be so much more different than anything you’re used to,” finishes Anthony.</p>
<p>“I don’t care,” says Morse. “I don’t. It was true what I said last night. Women are too much like hard work. I want a change.”</p>
<p>“It doesn’t work like that,” says Anthony gently. “Either you like men, or you don’t. And so far as I can tell, you don’t.”</p>
<p>Morse looks Anthony in the eye. “Like I said. Can I reserve judgement of that until <em>after </em>we have sex again?”</p>
<p>Anthony finally allows himself to smile; fortunately, Morse returns it. “That depends. What was point number five?”</p>
<p>“Five?” says Morse. “Oh, that when I thought about who I wanted to have sex with, it was you that I thought of first.” He pauses. “That’s including all the girls.”</p>
<p>Honestly? thinks Anthony. That’s good enough for him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>What will the next chapter be? Smut. When will it come out? Literally god knows.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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